LDMOS device with body diffusion self-aligned to gate

ABSTRACT

A laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) device includes a substrate having a p-epi layer thereon, a p-body region in the p-epi layer and an ndrift (NDRIFT) region within the p-body to provide a drain extension region. A gate stack includes a gate dielectric layer over a channel region in the p-body region adjacent to and on respective sides of a junction with the NDRIFT region. A patterned gate electrode is on the gate dielectric. A DWELL region is within the p-body region. A source region is within the DWELL region, and a drain region is within the NDRIFT region. An effective channel length (Leff) for the LDMOS device is 75 nm to 150 nm which evidences a DWELL implant that utilized an edge of the gate electrode to delineate an edge of a DWELL ion implant so that the DWELL region is self-aligned to the gate electrode.

FIELD

Disclosed embodiments relate to laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) devices.

BACKGROUND

As DC-DC converters are scaled to the next generation of power converter products, there is a need to increase the switching frequency to reduce the size of the external passive components such as inductors while maintaining low power dissipation in its integrated power field effect transistors (FETs), such as LDMOS devices. In an LDMOS device, the drain is laterally arranged to allow current to laterally flow, and a drift region is interposed between the channel and the drain to provide a high drain to source breakdown voltage. This involves reducing the switching parasitics Qgate and Cdrain of the power FET while the ON-state resistance is also reduced.

Qgate is the charge required to turn ON the power FET gate during a switching transition in which the drain goes essentially between the power supply rails. Qgate causes (1) a power loss because this switching charge is not recovered during the switching process and (2) degraded area utilization because the circuitry needed to drive the gate of a large area power FET may occupy a significant fraction of the die area. Cdrain is the drain capacitance, which dictates how much charge is lost to switching per switching transition. RSP is the area-normalized ON-state resistance of the power FET. Conventionally, a new integrated power (e.g., linear BiCMOS (LBC)) technology will reduce the RSP so that the total ON resistance of a power switch may be attained at a reduced die area, hence reducing the product cost.

SUMMARY

This Summary is provided to introduce a brief selection of disclosed concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description including the drawings provided. This Summary is not intended to limit the claimed subject matter's scope.

Disclosed embodiments include laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) devices and processes for forming such devices that enables the reduction of the parasitics Qgate, Cdrain and area-normalized ON-state resistance (RSP). As used herein, an LDMOS device is synonymous with a diffused metal oxide semiconductor (DMOS) device. A conventional n-LDMOS power device uses a masked boron body implant then a diffusion both early in the process flow to form what is referred to herein as a DWELL region before the polysilicon gate and shallow p-type and n-type wells (SPWELL and SNWELL) are added that complete the p-type body region and form n-type source extension, respectively, of the LDMOS device. Historically, the DWELL process has used long furnace anneals and/or a MeV (or near-MeV) boron buried layer (PBL) implant to achieve a laterally graded p-body doping profile in the channel that creates a built-in electric field which accelerates movement of the electrons, improving the current drive capability of the LDMOS device.

Furthermore, the position of the DWELL process early in the conventional process flow is recognized to create misalignment between the edges of the DWELL diffusions and the gate electrode which is generally a polysilicon gate, that also prevents reducing the effective channel length of the LDMOS device. As used herein the effective channel length (L_(EFF)) for disclosed n-channel LDMOS devices refers to the width of the net p-type region (majority carriers) of the semiconductor (e.g., silicon) surface (or within about 100 Angstroms of this surface which is the width of the quantum mechanical ground state forming the inversion layer, wherever the narrowest in width) between the source and drain under the gate electrode over the gate dielectric, specified at all zero device terminal voltages. Taken together, the long DWELL diffusion time, lateral straggle from the high energy PBL implant, and lithographic misalignment variation between DWELL mask and the gate electrode material (e.g., polysilicon) results in the L_(EFF) being at least 200 nm, typically being ≧500 nm (0.5 μm). A long minimum L_(EFF) (e.g., being ≧0.5 μm) sets a lower limit (minimum) on the gate capacitance, RSP, the current drive (Idrive) also known as IDsat (the drain current in the saturation region), and Idlin being the drain current in the linear region (from which RDSon and RSP are calculated) for the LDMOS device.

Disclosed embodiments provide a LDMOS design and associated process flow including a DWELL process comprising at least a DWELL p-type (e.g., boron) implant that is self-aligned to the gate electrode (e.g., polysilicon gate) by having at least one edge of the gate electrode included in a photomask opening for the DWELL so that the gate electrode delineates an edge of the DWELL implant. This enables the L_(EFF) of the LDMOS device to be reduced significantly (e.g., L_(EFF) 75 nm to 150 nm) to be smaller than that of a conventional LDMOS by at least about a factor of 2 in order to provide next-generation power field effect transistor (FET) performance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a flow chart that shows steps in an example method for forming a disclosed LDMOS device with a DWELL region self-aligned to the gate electrode, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional diagram showing an example LDMOS device having a DWELL region evidencing a DWELL implant that utilized at least one edge of the gate electrode to delineate an edge of a DWELL ion implant so that the DWELL region is self-aligned to the gate electrode, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 2B is a top view of example LDMOS device having a DWELL region evidencing a DWELL implant that utilized edges of the gate electrode to delineate edges of a DWELL ion implant so that the DWELL region is self-aligned to the gate electrode, where the gate electrode is in a racetrack configuration, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows a planar version of a disclosed LDMOS device (no LOCal Oxidation of Silicon (LOCOS) layer) having a DWELL region evidencing a DWELL implant that utilized at least one edge of the gate electrode to delineate an edge of a DWELL ion implant so that the DWELL region is self-aligned to the gate electrode, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 4A shows a simulated VGate vs. QGate plot for a disclosed LDMOS device vs. a known LDMOS device, FIG. 4B shows simulated data of RDS.QG_(tot) for the disclosed LDMOS device vs. the known LDMOS device, and FIG. 4C shows simulated data of RSP for the disclosed LDMOS device vs. the known LDMOS device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example embodiments are described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to designate similar or equivalent elements. Illustrated ordering of acts or events should not be considered as limiting, as some acts or events may occur in different order and/or concurrently with other acts or events. Furthermore, some illustrated acts or events may not be required to implement a methodology in accordance with this disclosure.

Also, the terms “coupled to” or “couples with” (and the like) as used herein without further qualification are intended to describe either an indirect or direct electrical connection. Thus, if a first device “couples” to a second device, that connection can be through a direct electrical connection where there are only parasitics in the pathway, or through an indirect electrical connection via intervening items including other devices and connections. For indirect coupling, the intervening item generally does not modify the information of a signal but may adjust its current level, voltage level, and/or power level.

Disclosed embodiments include LDMOS fabrication processes having a new DWELL process flow, and LDMOS devices therefrom generally having an L_(EFF) of only 75 nm to 150 nm. The DWELL process is moved to just after the gate stack formation (instead of conventionally being before), and if part of a BiCMOS process that only for example disclosed methods are described as being part of, before the CMOS lightly doped drain (LDD) loop (typically comprising NLDD2, NLDD, PLDD, PLDD2 implants and activation anneals) using processing similar to NLDD processing. A dedicated (optional) DWELL rapid thermal anneal (RTA) process can be added after the Dwell implant(s) to (1) activate the DWELL dopant(s) and (2) to drive the DWELL p-type dopant slightly to achieve better ON-state breakdown voltage (BVII) and a more controllable voltage threshold (VT) for the LDMOS device.

FIG. 1 is a flow chart that shows steps in an example method 100 for forming a disclosed LDMOS device with a DWELL region that is self-aligned to the gate electrode, according to an example embodiment. FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional diagram showing an example LDMOS device having a DWELL region 130 evidencing a DWELL implant that utilized at least one edge of the gate electrode to delineate an edge of a DWELL ion implant so that the resulting DWELL region evidences self-alignment to the gate electrode, with the evidence of the self-alignment including an Leff for the LDMOS device being only 75 nm to 150 nm, according to an example embodiment. Method 100 is described using a BiCMOS process flow which as known in the art combines bipolar and CMOS technology. Although n-channel LDMOS transistors are described herein, it is clear to one having ordinary skill in the art to use this information to form p-channel LDMOS transistors, by n-doped regions being substituted by p-doped regions and vice versa.

Step 101 comprises providing a substrate 110 having a p-epi layer 115 thereon. The p-epi layer 115 may be about 15 μm to 40 μm thick. The process can comprise forming a first epi layer on the substrate, forming a blanket n+ buried layer (NBL) 111, and then forming a second epi layer over the NBL 111. The substrate 110 is generally a p+ or p− substrate, typically boron doped from 1×10¹⁶ to 1×10¹⁹ cm⁻³, and the p-epi layer 115 can have a doping level from 3×10¹⁴ cm⁻³ to 3×10¹⁶ cm⁻³. The substrate 110 and the p-epi layer 115 can both comprise silicon, and can also comprise other materials.

Disclosed LDMOS devices can include an isolation structure. For example, an outer n-type tank can be formed in several ways. A deep trench (DT) can have an optional dielectric liner and NBL, DEEPN and NBL, DNWELL and NBL, and shallow nwell (SNW), BISO, and NBL. BISO is a phosphorus implant performed before the second epi process (in a two epi process) at the edges of the NBL 111 (but after the NBL furnace drive which diffuses the NBL 111 deeper into the semiconductor such as Si). The BISO diffuses up into the second p-epi, enabling an n-tank connection to be established with SNW for example (hence avoiding the use of a DEEPN which is sometimes desirable). In all of these cases, the NBL 111 forms the bottom of the n-type tank and the other element (DT, DEEPN, etc.) forms the vertical walls of the n-tank that connect up to the top semiconductor surface, such a top Si surface having n+ doping (from the NSD), silicide and contacts.

Step 102 comprises the optional step of implanting a blanket PBL implant then annealing the PBL implant for forming a p-body region 140 above the NBL 111 in the p-epi 115. The PBL implant can use a boron dose from 1×10¹² cm⁻² to 1×10¹³ cm⁻², at an energy of 400 keV to 3 MeV. Instead of a PBL implant, the doping level in the p-epi layer 115 can alternatively be increased to control the background boron doping level in the p-body region 140.

Step 103 comprises forming an ndrift (NDRIFT) region 120 comprising an NDRIFT ion implant within a portion of the p-body region 140. The NDRIFT region 120 provides the drain extension region for LDMOS device 200. For LDMOS device 200 a local oxidation process follows to form LOCOS layer 137. However, as shown in FIG. 3, in another embodiment the LDMOS device is a “planar” device that lacks the LOCOS layer 137.

In addition, after step 103 a SNW and shallow pwell (SPW) may also be formed. The region shown in FIG. 2A as SPW1 149 is a part of the SPW which can be from a BiCMOS process utilizing the conventional shallow p-body implant used to form the CMOS logic and 5V NMOS body diffusions which may both be optionally implanted (generally with a plurality of implants to provide different implant energies) for the LDMOS device 200 to form a deep p-body doping region for the LDMOS device. The body doping provided by SPW1 149 increases the base doping level to suppress the parasitic lateral NPN bipolar formed by n+ source-p-body-n+ drain. This parasitic NPN bipolar can limit the high current operation for LDMOS device 200 as it can form a boundary to the safe operating area (SOA). The SNW which is optional is shown as SNWell 155 in FIG. 2A.

The implants in step 102 (PBL), step 103 (NDRIFT), as well as the SNW and SPW implants, can generally be performed be in any order. The method can also include an RTA damage anneal after all of these implants that heals the implant induced lattice damage.

Step 104 comprises forming a gate stack including forming a gate dielectric layer 122 over the p-body region 140 adjacent to and on respective sides of a junction between the p-body region 140 and NDRIFT region 120, then forming a patterned gate electrode 123 on the gate dielectric layer 122. The gate dielectric layer 122 can be a 5V gate dielectric comprising silicon oxide, which is about 10 to 15 nm thick. It is also possible to use a gate dielectric as thin as about 3 nm of silicon dioxide, or a silicon oxynitride (SION)) gate dielectric that is slightly thinner but with a higher dielectric constant than that of silicon dioxide which is about 3.9. Polysilicon is one example gate electrode material for the gate electrode 123. However, a metal gate or CMOS-based replacement gate process can also be used to provide the gate electrode 123.

Step 105 comprises at least a first post-gate well ion implant comprising a p-type dopant (DWELL ion implant) into the p-body region 140 to form DWELL region 130. Step 105 can comprise 2 or more p-type DWELL ion implants all at different energies. The DWELL ion implant(s) are self-aligned to at least one edge of the gate electrode 123 (e.g. polysilicon), which enables the short Leff provided by disclosed LDMOS devices (e.g., 75 nm to 150 nm) by having at least one edge of the gate electrode included in a photomask opening for the DWELL ion implant so that the gate electrode 123 delineates an edge of the DWELL ion implant and as a result the DWELL is self-aligned to the gate. The DWELL mask opening that encloses the gate electrode's 123 opening for the source and integrated backgate region exposes the gate electrode 123 by a minimum amount (such as 25 nm to 150 nm depending on the alignment capability of the lithography equipment) to ensure that the DWELL implant is masked by the edge(s) of the gate electrode 123.

The short Leff (e.g., 75 nm to 150 nm) provided by disclosed LDMOS devices is a characteristic signature obtainable from a top-view image, such as obtained by using a Scanning Capacitance Microscope image of the doping profile or a Scanning Spreading Resistance Microscope image. Having a relatively heavy and steeply graded shallow p-type doping (from the self-aligned DWELL ion implant) that is about as deep as the PSD or PLDD2 for MOS devices on the BiMOS IC in the case of a BiMOS process flow would be another characteristic signature. Conventional DWELL doping would not only extend further into the LDMOS channel, it would be more uniform and spread out substantially more vertically. Yet another characteristic signature is the doping symmetry of the shallow DWELL p-type implant on respective sides of the gate electrode 123 when the gate electrode provides 2 mask edges for the Dwell implant (such as with a racetrack shaped gate electrode, see FIG. 2B) analogous to the symmetric doping in the sources and drains for conventional MOS devices having self-aligned gates for the S/D implant processes.

The DWELL p-type implant energy can be similar to the energy used for the boron PSD and PLDD2 steps in a BiCMOS process, and the dose should generally be sufficient to form a channel laterally and to suppress parasitic body NPN effects. For example, a boron implant with an energy of 20 keV, a dose of 8×10¹³ cm⁻² to 3.0×10¹⁴ cm⁻², such as 1.5×10¹⁴ cm⁻², and a tilt angle of less than 5 degrees, such as 2 degrees, may be used. However, besides boron the DWELL p-type implant can also use indium (In). The energy for this implant is at a low-energy to avoid penetrating through the exposed gate electrode 123, such as comprising polysilicon. The DWELL boron implant being vertical or near vertical (e.g., a 2 degree tilt) and the dose relatively high (1.5×10¹⁴ cm⁻²), both of which characteristics are recognized to be advantageous in suppressing body NPN action while maintaining a well-formed channel region. The SPWELL implant described above being before the gate processing allows the SPW1 region 149 to provide a deeper portion of the p-body doping, which further suppresses the parasitic NPN.

An optional DWELL n-type dopant such as arsenic (or antinomy) can also be added, with n-type DWELL 135 shown in FIG. 2A, with the arsenic (or antinomy) implant and the p-type Dwell implant being in either order. For example, an arsenic implant with a dose 4×10¹⁴ cm⁻² to 1.2×10¹⁵ cm⁻² (e.g., 8×10¹⁴ cm⁻²), an energy 4 to 30 keV (e.g., 15 keV), and a 15 degree ion implant tilt angle may be used to form n-type DWELL 135 in one particular embodiment, or some or all of this implant angled at for example 45 degrees (2 or 4 rotations). An arsenic implant energy of about 15 keV allows the arsenic to penetrate through the gate dielectric 122 (e.g., when a 5V oxide) adjacent to the gate electrode 123 and also reduces the doping concentration there by counter doping so as to reduce gate-induced parametric shifts. The 15 degree or so arsenic (or antimony) implant angle can reduce the voltage threshold (Vt) without reducing the DWELL p-type implant dose, enabling the simultaneous improvement of Vt and control of the body doping of the parasitic NPN. The DWELL p-type implant and optional Dwell arsenic (or antimony) implant can use the same mask. However, it is possible for the NLDD implant (for a BiCMOS process flow) to be used together with a DWELL containing only the p-type implant.

The DWELL activation/drive for disclosed polysilicon gate processes can comprise a polysilicon oxidation step that already is included in a conventional BiMOS process flow, which is after gate patterning, gate etching and gate photoresist removal, being a short thermal oxidation that oxidizes the sidewalls of the polysilicon slightly, and forms a “polysilicon smile” which is a slight thickening of the gate oxide at the edges of the polysilicon gate. The DWELL activation/drive can also comprise an RTA process to activate the Dwell dopant(s) and to slightly laterally spread out the doping distribution, which helps to form a well-defined LDMOS device channel and to suppress the parasitic body NPN bipolar action. For example, an RTA at about 1,000° C. for 1 to 4 minutes may be used in one particular embodiment. The n-type source-drain implant (NSD) may be optionally co-patterned with the DWELL to reduce source resistance and to improve the polysilicon gate n-type doping when the gate electrode material comprises polysilicon.

Sidewall spacers 138 are generally formed on sidewalls of the gate electrode 123. A thin layer of the spacer material is also optionally shown on top of the gate electrode 123. The spacer material being on top of the gate electrode 123 shown in FIG. 2A may or may not be present. In one embodiment the sidewall spacers 138 comprise silicon nitride. A premetal dielectric (PMD) 139 is shown including over the spacers 138.

Step 106 comprises forming an n+ source (source) region 148 in the DWELL region 130 and an n+ drain (drain) region 145 in the NDRIFT region 120. Contact (e.g., optional silicide, PMD 139, and vias) and metallization processing generally follow, including contact to back gate 142 which contacts DWELL region 130, contact to source 143, contact to drain 144, and contact to gate 147.

Using this disclosed DWELL process and associated LDMOS layout, because the DWELL is self-aligned to edge(s) of the gate electrode, as described above, the L_(EFF) of the LDMOS device may be reduced to as low as 75 nm. The reduced L_(EFF) enables a significant improvements to both RSP and Qgate. The LDMOS device 200 also has its X_(D) parameter shown in FIG. 2A corresponding to the active portion of the gate dielectric 122 over the outer edge of NDRIFT region 120, which is generally only 200 nm to 300 nm. The previous technology node LDMOS device has an X_(D) of about 500 nm to 1,000 nm. X_(D) is reduced by disclosed embodiments because of sharper DWELL doping, making a sharper pn junction, providing the opportunity to use of a sharper NDRIFT 120 doping profile. Since this disclosed feature makes everything smaller, it is noted lithographic alignment generally becomes more important, so that the self-aligned nature of the disclosed DWELL processing generally becomes more important.

There are generally three different types of LDMOS devices for power converter applications, such as for a half-bridge Buck DC/DC Converter in one particular application. A low-side LDMOS transistor has the source and body region tied to ground, so such LDMOS devices can operate in the p-epi 115 without any isolation (i.e., no deep trench (DT), no NBL, no BISO, and no DEEPN sinker). Another LDMOS device is an ISO LDMOS transistor built into an n-type tank. The ISO terminal is the n-tank, and it can be biased separately from the source/backgate region and the drain. Yet another LDMOS device for high side applications is built similar to the ISO LDMOS transistor, but the ISO and drain are tied together electrically (usually through metal 1 (MET1)). For each of these types of LDMOS devices there is a need to increase the switching frequency to reduce the size of the external passive components such as inductors while maintaining a low power dissipation in the integrated power FETs. This involves reducing the switching parasitics Qgate and Cdrain of the power FET while the ON-state resistance RSP is being reduced, which are all reduced by disclosed LDMOS devices provide.

FIG. 2B is a top view of example LDMOS device 200′ having a DWELL region 130 evidencing a DWELL implant that utilized edges of the gate electrode 123′ to delineate edges of a DWELL ion implant so that the DWELL region 130 is self-aligned to the gate electrode 123, where the gate electrode 123′ is in a racetrack configuration, according to an example embodiment. An isolation tank 240 is shown framing LDMOS device 200′ which as described above can comprise an NBL together with an n+ sinker providing vertical walls coupling a top surface of the p-epi 115 to the NBL 111. The backgate/body contact region is shown as 142 a is an integrated backgate contact, which is at the surface of the Dwell region 130. The backgate/body contact region 142 a can be formed within the DWELL region 130 by adding a p+ SD (PSD) implant used for the CMOS section, which is very heavily (p+) boron doped. One arrangement has a plurality of backgate PSD stripes or squares in conventional geometries, with an NSD implant covering areas of the source/backgate region not covered with the PSD for low resistance contact to the source 148. Backgate/body contact region 142 a allows the p-type body region (Dwell region 130 and p-body 140) to be ohmically shorted to the n+ source 148 through a silicide layer.

For LDMOS device 200′ the DWELL mask is patterned, stopping on the gate electrode 123′ on both sides. It is generally desirable to avoid extending the DWELL mask opening too far into the gate electrode 123′ to avoid counterdoping the polysilicon with the p-type DWELL implant.

FIG. 3 shows a planar version of a disclosed LDMOS device 300 (no LOCOS layer 137 shown in FIG. 2A) having a DWELL region 130 evidencing a DWELL implant that utilized an edge of the gate electrode to delineate an edge of a DWELL ion implant so that the DWELL region 130 is self-aligned to the gate electrode 123, according to an example embodiment. As described above, The DWELL mask is patterned, in this case the pattern stopping on the gate electrode 123 (e.g. polysilicon) on both sides of the racetrack shape.

The p-type source-drain implant (PSD) for the CMOS circuitry may be optionally patterned to provide back-gate/body contact 142 a (formed adjacent to the NSD+ DWELL region) to reduce the base resistance of the p-body 140 of the parasitic NPN, further suppressing body NPN action. The DWELL mask may optionally extend across the backgate/body contact 142 a or it may stop adjacent to the PSD edge. The PLDD2 (a pure p-type SD extension implant used to form 5V PMOS) may optionally also be added to the backgate/body contact 142 a, optionally extending partway into the n-type DWELL 135 in FIG. 2A to reinforce the p-type body doping therein, thus further suppressing the parasitic body NPN action.

EXAMPLES

Disclosed embodiments are further illustrated by the following specific Examples, which should not be construed as limiting the scope or content of this Disclosure in any way.

FIG. 4A shows a simulated VGate vs. QGate plot for a disclosed LDMOS device (shown as “10 V New LDMOS”) similar to LDMOS device 200 having LOCOS layer 137 vs. a known LDMOS device (shown as “Known LDMOS 7V ISO LDMOS”). As described above, known LDMOS device has the DWELL early in the process (before gate) which is recognized to create misalignment between the edges of the DWELL diffusions and the polysilicon gate, which results in an L_(EFF) of the LDMOS device to be at least 200 nm, typically being ≧500 nm (0.5 μm). Qgate is shown to be significantly improved by the short Leff provided (about 100 nm) and the LOCOS layer.

FIG. 4B shows simulated data of RDS.QGtot for the disclosed LDMOS device (shown as “New LDMOS”) vs. the known LDMOS device. RDS.QGtot is shown to be substantially reduced by the disclosed LDMOS device. FIG. 4C shows simulated data of RSP for the disclosed LDMOS device (again shown as “New LDMOS”) vs. known LDMOS devices. RSP is shown to also be substantially reduced by the disclosed LDMOS device. These parameters are significantly improved over known LDMOS devices while it has been also found the LDMOS device's ability to hold off drain voltage is preserved (i.e. the drain-source breakdown voltage (BVDSS) is not sacrificed) and low junction leakage is maintained.

Disclosed embodiments can be used to form semiconductor die that may be integrated into a variety of assembly flows to form a variety of different devices and related products. The semiconductor die may include various elements therein and/or layers thereon, including barrier layers, dielectric layers, device structures, active elements and passive elements including source regions, drain regions, bit lines, bases, emitters, collectors, conductive lines, conductive vias, etc. Moreover, the semiconductor die can be formed from a variety of processes including bipolar, Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT), CMOS, BiCMOS and MEMS.

Those skilled in the art to which this disclosure relates will appreciate that many other embodiments and variations of embodiments are possible within the scope of the claimed invention, and further additions, deletions, substitutions and modifications may be made to the described embodiments without departing from the scope of this disclosure. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method of forming a laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) device, comprising: providing a substrate having a p-epi layer thereon; forming a p-body region in said p-epi layer by implanting a blanket p-buried layer (PBL) implant; forming an NDRIFT region by implanting an NDRIFT ion implant within said p-body region in said p-epi layer; forming a gate dielectric layer over a surface channel region of said p-epi layer adjacent to and on respective sides of a junction with said NDRIFT region; forming a patterned gate electrode on said gate dielectric layer; forming a DWELL region by implanting a first post-gate well ion implant comprising a p-type dopant into said p-body region in said p-epi layer, wherein at least one edge of said gate electrode is included in a photomask opening for said first post-gate well ion implant so that said gate electrode delineates an edge of said first post-gate well ion implant; and forming a source region within said DWELL region and a drain region within said NDRIFT region.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the p-body region further comprises annealing said PBL implant.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming sidewall spacers on sidewalls of said gate electrode before forming said source region and said drain region.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said p-type DWELL ion implant comprises boron with an energy between 15 and 30 KeV, an angle less than 5 degrees, and a dose between 8×10¹³ cm⁻² and 3.0×10¹⁴ cm⁻².
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming an n-type DWELL region within said DWELL region by implanting a second post-gate well ion implant comprising an n-type dopant.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein said second post-gate well ion implant comprises arsenic with an energy from 10 to 30 KeV and a dose from 4×10¹⁴ cm⁻² to 1.2×10¹⁵ cm⁻².
 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming an isolation tank comprising forming an n+ buried layer (NBL) in said p-epi layer before forming said NDRIFT region, and an n+ sinker providing vertical walls coupling a top surface of said p-epi layer to said NBL.
 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a local oxidation (LOCOS) layer over a portion of said NDRIFT region, wherein said gate electrode is formed on at least a portion of said LOCOS layer.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein an effective channel length (Leff) for said LDMOS device is 75 nm to 150 nm.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein said LDMOS device comprises a channel region that extends between said DWELL region and said NDRIFT region.
 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a shallow n-well region within said NDRIFT region and forming a shallow p-well region outside of said NDRIFT region.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein said DWELL region is formed over said shallow p-well region.
 13. The method of claim 11, wherein said drain region is formed within said shallow n-well region in said NDRIFT region.
 14. A method of forming a laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) device, comprising: providing a substrate; forming a p-epi layer on the substrate; forming a p-body region within the p-epi layer; forming an NDRIFT region within the p-body region; forming a gate dielectric layer over a surface channel region adjacent to and on respective sides of a junction between the NDRIFT region and the p-body region; forming a gate electrode on the gate dielectric layer; forming a DWELL region in the p-body region, wherein at least one edge of the gate electrode delineates an edge in the forming of the DWELL region; forming a source region within the DWELL region; and forming a drain region within the NDRIFT region.
 15. The method of claim 14, comprising forming sidewall spacers on sidewalls of the gate electrode before forming the source region and the drain region.
 16. The method of claim 14, wherein forming the p-body region comprises implanting a blanket p-buried layer (PBL) implant.
 17. The method of claim 14, comprising forming an n-type DWELL region within the DWELL region.
 18. The method of claim 14, comprising forming a shallow n-well region within the NDRIFT region and forming a shallow p-well region outside of the NDRIFT region.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the DWELL region is formed over the shallow p-well region.
 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the drain region is formed within the shallow n-well region. 